Teens charged over deliberately lit fires near hospital

Police have charged three teenagers with deliberately lighting bushfires near one of the state's busiest hospitals.

Yesterday afternoon, Fire and Rescue New South Wales was called in to put out a number of fires they say had been deliberately lit in a reserve at New Lambton Heights, near Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital.

Six fire crews worked to contain three separate fires.

Emergency services say they put out several deliberately lit fires in the same area the night before.

Police began conducting inquiries into a group of boys who were seen acting suspiciously in the area at the time.